Page 94 of Vengeance of the Gods

The bird from the trees swooped down like it might nip, and that was the only act of defiance she would allow to happen here today. A branch from a nearby tree shot out, wrapped its limbs around the raven, and squeezed until the pressure crushed its body. Blood rained down, splattering across Marlena’s shoes.

Ceres, the dead goddess of Solum, had given Marlena control of plant life. The dense forestry of Demuto made every tree in sight a weapon.

“I warned you. Just because you’ve been locked behind my confines for over half a century doesn’t mean I’ll allow you to forget who you’re dealing with.” Marlena pointed to the path they were on. “Hurry. Before I get bored.”

The wolf whined, and the way his body swayed as he walked had Marlena wondering if the little bird was someone important to him.

They took a turn, following a well-loved path through the middle of the forest. The soil underneath Marlena’s boots squished from Demuto’s dense underbrush. She could feel the moisture around her and the blossoming storm off in the distance. Demuto had always been wet and muddy with a strong scent of pine.

After a short walk, the path opened to a clearing with thick tree cover. Marlena craned her neck to find a collection of tree houses hiding between the thickest branches.

Smart.

The bear nodded a lazy bob of its head to the tree at the very top of the canopy line. Marlena stepped from the ground to the patio wrapping around the home and the tree it was built around.

The relaxing breeze rustling through the home’s open windows washed the strong smell of sulfur over Marlena, a distant memory bringing her back to a time when her family had spent a lot of time in Demuto with the Feras.

Marlena entered through the open door, and as her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit tree house, a figure in the center of the room turned to reveal the identity of Demuto’s leader—someone she had never expected to see again.

The smile creeping over Marlena’s lips was genuine.

“You’re supposed to be dead.”

32

Tensions were high, and they continued to skyrocket the longer they sat around without a plan.

As of this morning, it had been two days since Bridger declared his stance in the war and one week since they’d returned to Tolevarre…

It was too quiet. Nothing had happened since Meyer and a large group of soldiers had been seen leaving Vincere, headed to Atrox. The fort city was locked down, as were the rest of the major cities still following her sister.

Marlena and Meyer had gone radio silent.

Vega was antsy. Now more than ever, she felt like they needed a plan. They’d wasted enough time, and the darkness inside Vega’s mind grew by the day. She could no longer sleep without the whisper of a voice inside her head waking her up. It was lonely, crying out for a friend.

“Did you hear me?” Arlet asked, head cocking to the side because she knew Vega was off in La La Land.

Taking a sip of water, Vega wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead with her sleeve. “Nope, I sure didn’t.” The sound of voices echoing off the cave’s walls rushed back, and Vega was officially out of her head. “Sorry, I haven’t been sleeping well. I’m on edge waiting for the next attack.”

And dealing with what might be the soul of a god screaming in my head?

A chuff mirroring the sound of a dragon’s exhale echoed up from the pit, coming from the same place the screams did at night.

No, she pleaded to herself. Not right now.

She didn’t have the energy to fight the darkness away.

It growled at her again, but thankfully quieted quickly and left her alone.

Bridger’s soldiers were finding them here in the caves, and were mostly those stationed around Tolevarre, not anyone with knowledge of what was happening on the inside.

It was good to see their numbers grow, but it did nothing to ease the strain of mixing two sides of what used to be an opposing war.

“That’s what I was saying,” Arlet said, though her attention was on a rebel and soldier in the middle of a sparring session. They’d turned most of the main cave into a makeshift gym. “We can’t continue to live like this. We can’t house a fucking rebellion here.” She shook her head. “We’ve tried. It doesn’t work.” Arlet winced when the soldier took a right hook to the jaw, blood splattering across the floor. “Losing Castra…” Vega caught Arlet’s lip quiver. She’d spent so much time helping build Castra into what it’d been in its final form. “Losing Castra sucks, bad. I don’t think we have any other option but to take Bridger up on his Vincere offer.”

Marlena would know where they were soon, if she didn’t already.

They were sitting ducks…